A Moonlit Night on a New York Rooftop
by The Tin Man
Summary: Oneshot: Susan Richards reflects on the recent events in her life. Set some time, about a year, after Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. Reed/Sue


**Disclaimer (Just to be on the safe side):** I own none of the characters within this story, and no part of the Marvel franchise. I wish I did, but I don't. But, what can you do.

**Summary:** Susan Richards reflects on the recent events in her life on the Baxter Building roof. Set some time (about a year) after Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. Reed/Sue, although nothing heavy at all - just dancing and kissing, really.

* * *

**A Moonlit Night on a New York Rooftop**

New York looked especially beautiful tonight. There were no clouds in the sky, so the stars were clearly visible, sparkling in the night sky like diamonds; and this was mirrored in the lights from the city that never sleeps. Granted they were far more garish, and colours that definitely did not occur in nature; but this far up, the shrill sounds of car horns were reduced to soft, background noise. It reminded Susan of bird-song, only without any actual tune. The moon was waxing: within the next few days, it would be full; but already the pale light bathed the roof of the Baxter Building in an almost ethereal glow, and Sue's skin looked white as milk. The evening dress she wore was a simple one: a deep blue, studded with tiny zirconiums, so it seemed as though she was wearing a garment woven from the night sky itself.

A gust of wind blew across the rooftop, and she shivered, goosebumps rising on her arms. Immediately, two arms enfolded themselves around her, and the warm body that pressed itself into her back stretched slightly, moulding itself to the contours of her body.

"Are you cold?" Reed asked, pressing his lips to the side of her neck and kissing her softly.

"No." she answered, turning her head slightly to look into his soulful brown eyes. "Not now. Now that you're here."

She felt Reed's arm slip from around her waist. A moment later, the opening notes of a song she knew so well permeated the night, emerging from the speakers that were normally reserved for Fantastic Four business. Trust Reed to play her their song. For all his faults, the scientist could be incredibly romantic when he put his mind to it. The dozen long-stem roses that now sat in a vase on her dresser, as well as the beautiful, candle-lit table off to her right, where they had sat only a few minutes ago, finishing a meal that Reed had ordered in.

Sue turned in his arm, and smiled at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Their lips met in a passionate kiss, and Sue remembered all the times they had kissed in such a way. It had been a long time since they had last had such an intimate moment. Things had been rather difficult as of late, and it was nice to simply relax without having to worry about the world being in danger. Or anything else, for that matter.

"May I have this dance?" Reed enquired of her, breaking the kiss.

Sue nodded her assent. Further words would only spoil the moment.

He placed his hands on her hips in that rather awkward, schoolboy way of his, and she couldn't help but smile at the look of intense concentration on his face as they began to sway in time with the music, revolving slowly on the spot. As the rich, male voice began to weave the lyrics into an intricate and beautiful series of images in her mind, Sue rested her head on Reed's shoulder. She could feel his muscles slowly relaxing underneath his tux, as he began to give himself over to the melody, rather than consciously thinking about his movements. She lived for the moments like this: the ones where the two of them could be alone together. The Fantastic Four rarely had time to enjoy one another's company; Sue and Reed especially; and what with everything that had been going on lately, it seemed like they never had any time just to themselves: as husband and wife.

Reed shifted his grip, encircling her waist with his arms. Sue had never seen him looking this peaceful. All the hardships over the years seemed to melt away, leaving him as the man he had been when they first met, all those years ago. He had been so young back then. They both had. It had seemed a match made in heaven: both of them the top students in their classes, each well on their way to becoming the leading experts in their respective fields. Back then, the summer of their love had seemed like it would last forever, but, sure enough, winter had come: Reed's obsession with his work had come between them, and she had left him, finding solace in the arms of another man.

"You look wonderful tonight." Reed sang along softly with Eric Clapton, drawing Sue's attention back to the present, and the searching look on Reed's face.

"So do you." she told him, smiling and kissing him once again.

They swayed there without saying anything to each other, simply content to enjoy the moment of tranquillity that had descended upon the rooftop, as the second verse kicked in. Time had no meaning right then. The only things in the world that mattered were the two of them. Not the past, not the future, not even the ever-present threat of Victor von Doom. For now, it was just them. Dancing alone among the New York skyline, the stars stretching out into infinity above them. Even the noises of the traffic so far below seemed to have stopped. It was as if the Universe itself was smiling down on them, letting them have this one night of bliss. A reward to make up for all the suffering they had gone through.

When Sue finally stopped moving, the music had long since ended. On the table, the candles had gone out: extinguished by a gust of wind that Sue had not noticed. When Reed looked at her questioningly, she smiled, and said:

"Let's go inside."

It was mere moments before Reed lifted her into his arms and, ginning from ear to ear, lifted her easily into his arms, and carried her indoors and into their room. As she was lifted over the threshold, just like Reed had done on their wedding night, Sue noticed that he had somehow strewn rose petals over the bed. He must have done it when he had gone to fetch the food.

Reed lowered her onto the bed and kissed her again, before standing up, kicking off his shoes and removing his jacket.

He had just undone the second button on his shirt, when a loud wail issued from the baby monitor beside their bed. Reed froze and looked up at Sue, who just smiled at him.

"It's your turn." she informed him. For a moment, he looked like he was going to protest, but then he sighed in defeat, turning and leaving the room, buttoning his shirt as he went. "The milk's in the fridge!" she called after him.

It was odd how unerringly Franklin interrupted them just when they were beginning to get 'comfortable'. All night they had not heard so much as a gurgle from the monitor sitting on the table where they had had their rooftop meal; but as soon as they had come inside, he started crying. If she had been paranoid, Sue might have thought that he knew exactly what she and Reed were doing, and was actively preventing them from having a sex-life. But such a thought was ridiculous: he was, after all, only three months old. She turned and picked up the framed picture from the night stand. On it, she and Reed were sitting close together on a hospital bed: she in a hospital gown, and he in his Fantastic Four uniform. In Sue's arms, a small, pink face was visible, emerging from a bundle of blue blankets; a single tuft of blond hair poking out above his forehead.

She lay back as Franklin's cries ceased when Reed entered the room, his voice assuming the soft tone he used when speaking to their son. Staring at the picture, she smiled to herself, letting the sound of Reed singing a lullaby wash over her. It had been a taxing three months since Franklin had been born; and even before that, what with the complications during her pregnancy; but now, as she lay there, listening to Reed comfort their first-born, she realised that she wouldn't trade this moment for all the world.


End file.
